


Ten-Nil

by squiggid



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alcohol, Competition, Feels, Loss, M/M, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:08:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22177555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squiggid/pseuds/squiggid
Summary: This is the eighth match Raihan’s lost to Leon, seven years in a row, and it’s really starting to grate on his nerves.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 25
Kudos: 297





	Ten-Nil

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like it's fanonically accepted now that Raihan and Leon were challengers of the League at the same time, but I had a different idea when I first started writing this. Also I totally missed that Leon was 10 when he first became Champion (I thought he was maybe 14), so I had these boys in their 20s in the present in my head, so please excuse the timeline there. Also also I did my best with the Britishisms but it might sound awkward so gomenasorry. Anyway, I'd love to see more Raileon on my TL, so find me on Twitter if you liked this--it's my name but with a j instead of a gg.

The crowd erupts as Dynamax Charizard lands its final blow on its opponent, Dynamax Duraludon. After letting out a mighty roar, Charizard shrinks back down to normal size next to its trusted trainer, the Champion. Right on cue, Leon spins once in place and then throws his hand in the air, pointing to the sky, and the crowd goes wild.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the stadium, Raihan’s stoic as he returns Duraludon to its ball. His eyes are trained on Leon across the tattered field, the last wisps of his sandstorm dissipating between them, and he can’t help the animosity bubbling deep inside him, buried under a hard rocky slate of jealousy and hazy smoke of denial.

This is the eighth match Raihan’s lost to Leon, seven years in a row, and it’s really starting to grate on his nerves.

The first time was at his debut as the new Dragon-type gym leader—his debut, after years of working as a gym trainer, after the media hyped him up to be this whiz kid of a Dragon Tamer, and then here comes this boy with his Fraxure and his Drakloak (even though Dragapult should be Raihan’s ace, but okay) and a Charizard—really, a Charizard? The most disrespectful Pokémon to have on a team with a bias toward Dragon-type Pokémon? This Pokémon from Kanto that should have been Dragon type but is somehow Fire/Flying?

But not only did Leon have a team half-full of Dragon-types (sort of, with that stupid Charizard), but also he’d wiped Raihan. Wiped him on his debut! Can you imagine the audacity? The humiliation? It was beyond embarrassing, and something his fans and detractors wouldn’t let up about for months afterward.

He swore revenge during the Championship Tournament later that season, and he begged the TO to set him up against Leon. Luckily, whether his words got through to the TO or it was sheer coincidence, they were paired up. It was a closer match that time, with Raihan at least taking a few KO’s, but once again, alas, it was still a loss in the end.

Ever since then, the two have been the favorites for the exhibition matches for the start of a new season. Seven years in a row of “Will This Be The Year Raihan Wins?” “Nope!” Seven years of this match that’s literally set up to glorify the Champion even more so than he already is. Seven years of losing to this chump—on camera, no less. 

The worst part is that Leon’s not even a bad guy. He’s actually a great guy, very likeable, humble, and downright charming. So Raihan can’t even hate him. If he was some pompous wanker, it’d be easier to hate him, but he’s this respectful lad who grows to be a better and more mature person each year. The only thing against him is his terrible sense of direction, but these days with everyone having a Rotom Phone, that’s really not a problem, and the media hypes it up anyway to make him look more personable. So Raihan’s just stuck with this perfect rival.

He doesn’t hate Leon. He’s too nice and respectful to hate. And honestly, Raihan respects him too much as a trainer to hate him. As Champion going on seven years now, he could have slacked off a bit, he could have stopped and enjoyed his fame and money a bit more. But it’s clear he still trains hard, he still takes care of his Pokémon, he still loves the thrill of a battle. There’s an energy about him that’s fascinating and enthralling when they battle, and Raihan finds himself captivated, maybe even inspired by, the Champion’s charisma.

He might think about him a little too much, it’s true.

A Rotom Camera pulls up in front of Raihan’s face, pulling him out of his thoughts. He sees a glance of his brooding face on the big stadium screen before he lifts his arms up and over his head, shooting the camera his usual nonchalant, carefree reaction after a loss. After that, he’s all smiles and the usual promises to beat Leon next year for interviewers and fans alike as the kickoff ceremony continues.

Nearly an hour later, Raihan walks out of Wyndon Stadium to see Leon at the bottom of the stairs, taking pictures and signing League Cards with fans, still glowing like he’d just won the battle. Normally, Raihan wouldn’t think twice about it, but with the fresh wound of his most recent loss, something inside Raihan ticks.

“Hey,” Raihan barks, jogging down the stairs with his hands in his jacket pockets as the last of the fans walks away.

Leon turns a bit and looks at him, one hand still waving at a fan walking away. Something about the smile still tugging at his lips is enough to set Raihan off.

He challenges, “You know I can take you down, yeah?”

Leon’s eyebrows shoot up, and his smile shifts from pleased to amused. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Raihan insists. He shifts his weight to one leg and juts his chin out a bit. “I can take you down anytime, any day.”

“Oh, really, now,” Leon says, a bit more calculating, a bit more cautious. “Pardon me for being so blunt, but I believe I already beat you today—minutes ago, no less.”

“That was just a warm up, bruv. The league’s just started, and so have I.”

“Mmhmm, I see.”

“Damn right, you see. Name the place and time, and I’m there, mate.”

“How about tonight, then? After the afterparty.”

Raihan scoffs and smirks his toothy smirk, turning away a bit, mumbling under his breath but just loud enough for Leon to hear, “There won’t be anything to celebrate at the afterparty after I’m through with you.”

“You really think you can take me on, do you?”

“Yeah, I think I can take you.”

It’s not quite what Leon said. It’s not quite what Raihan meant to say. There’s something a bit off—and they both hear it.

It’s almost as an instinct when Raihan, after hearing his own words, nervously licks his lips and glances up and down Leon’s frame. It’s such a small shift in movement, but Leon catches it. 

Suddenly, the air between them is charged with electricity.

“Fine,” Leon says, a bit quieter now. He steps forward a bit, closing the gap between them. “Let’s make a deal, then. If you win, you can take me.”

Raihan gulps. They’ve challenged each other plenty of times before, but this time is different. Usually they’re yelling across a stadium field; this time it’s low, static energy.

“But if I win,” Leon continues. He returns Raihan’s earlier once-over, glancing up and down his body, a bit more deliberate than Raihan’s original play. “I get to take you.”

With Raihan’s 0-8 streak, there’s honestly not much of a chance for him—and part of him wonders why he goaded Leon to begin with. But he’s always up for a challenge, whether it’s in his best interest or not.

“You’re on,” Raihan accepts, sneering. “See you at the afterparty.”

And he turns and leaves.

—

After taking some time to dress up— just a bit, mind you, just a button down, but not tucked in or nothin’—Raihan heads to the afterparty. Almost immediately, his eyes dart around for Leon, even when Milo waves at him and Nessa nods at him (dressed up way too much, as usual) before continuing her conversation with Sonia. 

“Hey, Raihan,” Gordie says, bumbling over with something that has to be mixed with an energy drink.

“Have you seen Leon?” Raihan immediately asks.

“Leon?” Gordie checks around the venue. “Nah, I don’t think he’s in yet. You know how he is.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Typical, just the little things that make him look like a doofus, that humanize him a bit, being lost, being late.

He needs a drink.

A little while later, when the music is turning up a bit, and the dancers have started rolling in, he spots Leon. Not like his eyes have been trained on the entrance or anything, not like he’s been waiting for him and only him this entire time. Leon walks in, and it’s almost like he’s a magnet. It’s not just Raihan whose eyes are on him—it’s everyone, it’s the dancers floating toward him, it’s the drinks that are magically appearing at his table. Pretty soon, he’s in a booth with ladies on both sides, and maybe he’s not outright doing anything other than chatting, but it’s still enough to tick Raihan off.

So he heads over, of course.

“Hey,” Raihan barks again, a little louder than usual to have himself heard over the loud music.

Leon and the ladies look up. Something about breaking Leon’s concentration from everyone else and having it focused on him—it feels so good and rejuvenating, so in control.

Raihan nods his head to the side. “Let’s go.”

A quick glance around at the confused ladies. “You serious? Right now?”

“Yeah, right now.”

Leon gives Raihan a calculated, cautious look, a little incredulous, a little confused. “You know Chairman Rose will be here soon to officially kick off the party?”

“How soon?”

“I dunno, ‘round 30 minutes, give or take?”

“That’s all I need, baby. I’ll sweep you in 10.”

Maybe Leon’s insulted by the claim, maybe Leon wants to prove that he won’t back down, but something gets Leon’s game face on, and he stands up from the booth.

“All right,” he says, “But we have to make it fast. Back parking lot. Three Pokémon, set rules, no items—held or used. No Dynamax.”

“Whatever,” Raihan brushes off, heading toward the exit, acting like he doesn’t care, but definitely already spinning through strategies in his head.

\---

It’s close, sort of—maybe not as close as Raihan would have liked, but closer than anyone else has gotten with Leon, so he’ll take it. He returns his Duraludon to his Pokéball, half with a heavy heart, but half really distracted by the conditions of the match—that he’d set, of course.

Leon returns his Charizard and walks on over.

“Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“Where do you think? My room.”

Of course. Duh. A hotel is an easy venue for Chairman Rose to schedule a party and house all the competitors, Gym Leaders, and the Champion.

The walk to Leon’s room feels like the dirtiest walk of shame Raihan’s ever walked. He feels like he’s about to get fucked after, well, getting fucked. With every step closer to Leon’s room, every door they walk through, he wonders why he agreed to this in the first place with his track record. It’s always his hotheadedness and his pride that gets him in trouble.

Finally, they reach Leon’s room. Leon sets his hat down on a table before turning to him. He has a soft expression on his face as he touches Raihan’s shoulders gently.

“Hey, I—”

“I don’t need your pity,” Raihan gruffs out, and immediately goes in for a rough kiss.

Leon’s surprised grunt is muffled by his mouth. One hand is on the back of Leon’s head, the other around his waist, and he pushes Leon back to the bed before dipping down and biting his neck.

It’s quick and messy, and Raihan insists he’s in charge the entire time, even if he’s the one getting fucked. He’s the one on top of Leon, leading the pace, holding Leon down, even if he’s shaking, even if it’s hard to concentrate on bouncing when it feels so good. He has to be in control, for once, he has to beat Leon at his own game, he has to feel like he’s won after he’s lost.

It’s fast, and it’s honestly not super satisfying, especially considering that Rose texts Leon where he’s at in the middle of it, and it feels rushed. They do have to rush, a bit, to get back to the party, and Leon’s maybe sort-of more frazzled and absent-minded than usual when they get back, and maybe, just maybe, Raihan’s sort-of happy with himself about that. He’s the reason Leon, the fucking Champion, is a little on edge, a little not-as-perfect-as-usual. And it’s their little secret. There’s a sense of control in that, a sense of power, a sense of _winning_. And it’s exhilarating.

\---

There aren’t many chances for the two of them to meet up often out of season, but since they are in season, it’s only a week later when they see each other again. Everyone’s come together for the start of the league in Motostoke Stadium (well, everyone except for Allister and Melony, who are on next season). They’re just there for show, not even for any battles, but Chairman Rose likes to have these get-togethers as a strong show of solidarity, apparently. Leon’s not even in the celebration, but everyone knows he’s around.

It’s truly a fat waste of time, which, of course, leads to Raihan, annoyed, storming into the locker room after their big show, grumbling under his breath. The other Gym Leaders take the cue and leave him alone as they change out of their uniforms, but after a couple minutes, after everyone starts leaving, Raihan feels the lingering eyes of someone on his back. Little baby Allister and his vacant expression isn’t part of the crew this time, so he wonders who it is, and he turns, and look who it is—fuckin’ Leon. Arms crossed and leaning against a locker with his shirt that’s too tight for him that he knows shows off his muscles, he’s just got to know.

“There’s another afterparty,” Leon says casually.

Raihan hums. “You know Chairman Rose loves a party.”

“Hmm, maybe a little too much.” Leon closes the distance between them. “Maybe he’ll be a bit too busy trying to make sure everything’s perfect that he won’t be bothered to look after every single attendee.”

Raihan scoffs. “Chairman Rose? Losing sight of his beloved Champion? Never.”

They’re close now, a little too close. They can feel each other’s breaths.

“You’re close with Kabu, yeah?” Leon says quietly.

“Mm.”

“He won’t mind if we use his stadium to have a go, eh?”

Leon’s obviously eager to get this match going, which is exciting all over again for Raihan. He finally feels like they’re at the same level (even if it’s 0-9 now) just based off how insistent Leon‘s being. Raihan’s always been the self-proclaimed rival, but now it feels more real, more even.

Who knows, maybe it was just a good fuck last time, but whatever the case, Leon’s into it, so.

Raihan nods. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“Good.” Leon steps back and turns. He throws over his shoulder, “I’ll see you at the afterparty.”

\---

Everything’s the same as last time. Nessa (overdressed) is chatting with Sonia. Gordie, holding a mixed drink, is making a pass at a dancer. Piers is drinking quietly by himself. And Raihan is scanning the crowd for Leon.

And like clockwork, when Leon enters the room, the attention in the room shifts. He sinks into a booth again, but this time, instead of inviting the dancers, he meets Raihan’s eye. And he cocks his head to invite him over.

The dancers on the way to Leon stop and turn their attention to his line of sight, and it’s like the thrill of uploading a photo to social media and seeing the Likes flare up, except it’s more, it’s real. The attention consumes Raihan, fuels him, as he walks on over (as casually as he can), drawn to the source of the energy. It feels like the whole world is just him and Leon and the slowly-closing distance between them. 

Finally, he reaches the booth, and he slides in next to his rival. Leon leans in close to Raihan’s ear—the room is loud, so it doesn’t look too odd.

“I’m ready when you are.”

A shiver runs up Raihan’s spine. There’s something so enticing about having the Champion giving you his attention, wanting to be with you, wanting you. Maybe he’s interested in the battle, maybe it’s the sex, maybe it’s the curiosity of who’s going to win and what that means. Last time at the afterparty, Leon was unsure, cautious, making excuses not to leave. Seeing Leon actually wanting to leave this time… it’s exhilarating.

Raihan tilts his head and murmurs back in Leon’s ear, “How much time we got?”

“I don’t care.”

Raihan grins, and his heart picks up a pace.

The next thing he knows, Leon is nudging, practically pushing, him out of the booth. The stadium isn’t far—the afterparty is in one of the VIP lounges of the stadium, not too far from the field.

It’s a shorter battle again, 3v3, and it’s basically the same as last time, since neither had much time to train specifically for the other. Raihan’s trying, of course, but he’s admittedly a bit distracted. Part of him doesn’t know if he wants to win, and part of him doesn’t really care if he wins, because either way, he’s having fun. He’s always had fun battling Leon, even when he’s been mad frustrated.

Leon beats him, again—sort of squashes him, honestly. And this time, he’s quick to fly over to Raihan on Charizard, return it swiftly to its Pokéball, and then he’s the one who kisses him roughly this time. Raihan’s taller, but Leon’s stronger, and he pushes Raihan against the stadium banister while kissing and touching him. Raihan doesn’t insist control this time, because he’s so caught up in the moment, he’s living in the attention that Leon’s giving him. He thrives in every one of Leon’s thrusts into him, and he feels the attention burning through him from his core to his fingers clenching the banister, Leon’s own fingers squeezing his hips.

When they finish, they don’t kiss. It’s understood that kissing is only acceptable within the moment. A kiss shared outside of a frenzied passion would be too romantic for their relationship—whatever it is at this point.

—

It’s a good bit till the next time they see each other. It’s all right, since they’re both busy, and they’re both trying to figure out why Pokémon are suddenly Dynamaxing all over the place, but every time Raihan sees Leon on TV or on Chatter on his phone, every time Hop wins a gym badge and the news has to mention his brother, Raihan’s heart fills a bit with a swirl of emotions that he can’t set straight. Familiarity, lust, longing, impatience—and something secret and intimate that only they share.

The next time they see each other, it’s a couple weeks later, at the finals in Wyndon, where the season first kicked off, where this all started. This year’s league went by quickly for a number of reasons, but at the same time, it couldn’t be quick enough. It’s not like Raihan misses Leon or anything, nothing like that, but… maybe it’s just more fun this year, is all.

All the Gym Leaders are slowly coming together again, and they’re updating their social media as they land in Wyndon. A formal update from Kabu. A cheery picture from Milo. Raihan’s already posted his usual Dragon-pose picture, and now he’s sprawled out on a couch in the hotel lounge, refreshing Chatter on his phone every minute to see exactly when Leon gets in.

And then there it is. A photo of Leon’s signature pose, simultaneously cool and ridiculously corny, in front of Wyndon Stadium. As soon as the photo pops up, Raihan nearly bolts off the couch and bounds for the hotel door.

He didn’t miss him, he swears.

Running, Raihan turns the corner to Wyndon Stadium, shoes skidding loudly against the pavement, and his heart does a backflip when he finally sees Leon at the foot of the stadium stairs—but then he sees someone else with him. It’s his brother, Hop, and the other endorsee, Gloria. It’s fine, it’s not like it’s a girl or a guy or, good god, a reporter, but it still would have been nice if it was just the two of them. There’s a different energy when it’s just the two of them.

Hop sees him as he walks closer, and he hops (true to his name) in place excitedly. “Raihan! It’s Raihan!”

Leon turns, and their eyes meet. Raihan’s heart soars, but he does his best to remain cool and calm.

“Hey, kid,” he says, shooting the boy a friendly smile. “Ready for the championships?”

“You know it!”

Raihan turns to Gloria. “And what about you?”

Gloria smiles and nods politely.

“I’ll beat you again if I have to!” Hop challenges.

“Whoa, hey, hold on a second,” Leon says, holding up his hands. He gives Raihan a look, just challenging enough, just serious enough, just cool enough. “Let me have a piece of him first.”

Raihan takes a deep breath, inhales Leon’s words, his attention, his energy, lets it consume him like warm energy in his gut. This, this is what he’s missed over these past few weeks.

“All right, then let’s have a go,” Raihan says, trying his hardest to stay cool, but prickling with energy inside. “But it’ll have to be a quickie. You know how the Chairman likes to save the best show for the main event.”

Leon’s steady gaze falters and drops into a frown. “Ah, yes, the Chairman.” He places a hand on the top of Hop’s back. “We’ll have to do this later, Raihan. I have to get this one over to his hotel and then meet with Chairman Rose before taking ‘em out to dinner. I’ll catch up with you later, all right?”

Raihan’s disappointed, of course, but he understands. A Champion’s duty is a Champion’s duty, after all.

He nods and smirks. “All right, but don’t keep me waiting too long.”

“I won’t,” Leon says, winking like it’s their little in-joke.

But there is no later. Not that night, at least. Raihan grabs dinner with Bea and Milo, and then he waits around in his hotel, watching TV, scrolling through Chatter, waiting for a text or call or DM from Leon, but it never shows up.

He’s about to give up and go to sleep when he finally gets a text, and he jumps to his phone, mid-brushing his teeth until he visibly sags from the content of the DM.

“Hey, sorry, it’s been a wild day. Maybe tomorrow?”

Hmm. Fine. Tomorrow’s better than nothing. After Leon beats the competitors and defends his title as Champion, they’ll go to the afterparty, and everything will be normal.

\---

Except he doesn’t win. Gloria beats him and takes his title. And at the after party, things aren’t normal at all. Leon’s not cheerily chatting with people with girls on either side, and Raihan’s not buddying up to him trying to drag him away. Leon’s just by himself, leaning against a banister on the second floor of the venue, the VIP floor, with a drink in one hand, staring down at the dancing crowd below. He says hello and smiles and chats with some people, but it’s not long before his face rests on a solemn expression. Some people are knowingly giving him space, while the girls are just not interested in being near that negativity.

A few weeks ago, Raihan would have been jealous of Gloria. He would have been mad that he wasn’t the one to take down his rival. He would have been delighted that his perfect rival was finally humbled.

But things have changed since then. They’re still not calling it anything, but they’ve developed a different relationship, a close, personal, intimate one. And maybe that’s enough foundation to reach out.

Downing the rest of his drink, Raihan finally approaches Leon and stands next to him, leaning against the banister and gazing down at the dancing crowd just like Leon’s doing. Their shoulders are touching, and maybe it’s a little too close, too personal, but maybe they can get away with it right now, considering the circumstances. Anyway, people could interpret them as just being close friends… if that’s what they were.

“Hey,” Raihan says.

Leon glances at him, smiling a bit, but the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hey.”

Raihan thinks about what to say, what he would want. He’d want a distraction and to know his friends are there for him... but to be honest, he doesn’t really know Leon all too well, at least not enough to know what he wants at the moment. Even if they’ve been so close to each other, even if Leon’s explored him from the inside out, Raihan still doesn’t know what the other’s thinking.

But thankfully, it’s Leon who takes the reigns here. 

“You know,” he says, turning more toward Raihan, “We never did have that match.”

Raihan’s heart lifts and he straightens up a bit. “That’s true.”

“Wanna go?”

There’s a bit of desperation in there that Raihan can detect. The guy wants to get out of here as soon as possible, away from everyone looking at him as the now ex-Champion. This could be the distraction he needs.

Raihan shrugs a shoulder. “Sure.”

“But not in Wyndon Stadium. Or the parking lot. Or… anywhere in Wyndon, actually.”

Raihan thinks a bit before suggesting, “Are you up for a flight to Hammerlocke?”

Leon raises his eyebrows and then a smile quirks up his lips. “Last one there owes the other a drink?”

—

Dragapult is faster than Charizard, but Leon has to ride Charizard, of course. As cocky as it is for Leon to have that much confidence, maybe Raihan’s a little grateful. Against Charizard, Flygon has a fighting chance.

Still, though, Charizard has loads more experience carrying someone on its back, and the distance between the two gradually grows as the night flight goes on.

As nice as it is to soar through the sky alongside the Champion, as happy as Raihan is to help his rival take a step away from the negative attention, it’s still a race. It’s still a competition. And it still irks Raihan when he sees Leon start to gain more speed, when they pass over the White Hill Station and Raihan can only barely make out the light on Charizard’s tail.

It feels like everything they’ve built over the weeks is starting to fall apart, and the skill gap between them is being recognized all too palpably all over again. And after Leon was finally taken down publicly by someone nearly half his age not too long ago, it’s even more humiliating than it usually is, and something dark and ugly deep in Raihan’s gut takes a hold of him.

He makes the call without thinking. Flygon opens its mouth and sends a pulse of draconic energy in Charizard’s direction, and Charizard isn’t ready for it, isn’t expecting it, so it doesn’t dodge, and the man on its back starts to tumble through the air.

A cold sweat shoots through Raihan. He has no words, only sheer terror and panic, and thank god he and Flygon have trained so much together, are so close, that Flygon can tell what he’s thinking and what he wants, just from the tightening grip on its back. Both Charizard and Flygon dive toward the tumbling body, flying as fast as they can—until, just barely, they catch him, moments before he would have hit a rooftop. 

Raihan scrambles off Flygon’s back, nearly tripping over its tail, and quickly holds Leon in his arms.

“Leon…! A-are you okay?” Raihan rushes, fumbling over his words.

Leon groans a bit, rocking his head within the pit of Raihan’s elbow where it’s supported. A wave of relief washes over Raihan at the movement and noise. It’s such a small movement and sound, but he’s never been more glad to see it.

Eventually, Leon coughs out, a smile on his lips, “You really didn’t want to buy me that drink, eh?”

Raihan lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He lowers his head a bit and shakes his head. Any other day, he would have said something smart, but the combination of the shock, the aftermath of Leon finally losing and clearly having some form of weakness, and the rapport they’ve built over the past few weeks is enough to make Raihan to drop his defenses and be vulnerable, even just for a moment.

“I just didn’t want to lose to you again.”

Leon’s lips part in realization. Maybe, if they were like that, he’d reach up and touch his cheek. But they’re not like that. 

Something seems to be going on in Leon’s head, because his expression softens into a smile, maybe even a relieved smile. Maybe it’s the fact that everything could have changed between them, with his title taken away, but it’s still the same: Raihan still regards him as his rival, Champion or not. The familiarity is welcome right now, at a time when so many things are up in the air.

Finally, Raihan helps Leon to his feet. He looks around for the first time since they’ve landed and sees they’re on the outskirts of Hammerlocke. He knows the area pretty well.

“Say, I’ll, er, get that drink for you,” he says, a bit awkward, scratching the back of his head. It’s the least he could do.

Leon fights back a grin. “Are you saying I won?”

Scoffing, Raihan says, “Not a chance.”

Their Pokémon help them down to ground level, and they take the rest of the way on foot to the nearest pub. It dawns on Raihan that, although they’ve known each other for seven years, although Raihan’s obsessed over their rivalry, they’ve never really hung out like this before. Over drinks, they talk about anything to everything, from their hometowns to their favorite trainers around the world. It’s hard to catch up on seven years of possible friendship, but it’s a step in the right direction. It turns out they have a lot in common, actually, with their love for Dragon-type Pokémon and their responsibilities as the best trainers in the region. After a few more drinks and a lot more laughs, neither are much in the mood to battle anymore.

“It’s a bit late now,” Raihan yawns, looking at the time. “We’d better head back.”

Leon runs a thumb over the label of his beer bottle, a solemn smile gracing his lips. “I don’t want to go back.”

Raihan understands, but they’re both old enough to know that that’s not how the world works.

Leon sighs. “I suppose you’re right. I need to coach Gloria on her responsibilities as the new Champion and clean up after the mess Chairman Rose left.”

“Or,” Raihan offers, a lightbulb popping on in his head, “You can take advantage of the mess that Chairman Rose made. You can be the step in the direction for a more healthy lifestyle for the Champion. Tell Gloria to relax and celebrate. Visit her home, visit her mum. Run around the Wild Area and complete her Pokedex. Take it easy, the way you never got to.”

Leon’s looking at Raihan with bright eyes, and it’s clear a thousand thoughts are whirling around in his head. But finally he smiles, nods, and takes out his phone to send a text to Gloria.

It’s getting late, so Raihan invites him over to his apartment. It’s close by, anyway, and it is a bit too much of a hassle to fly back all the way over to Wyndon at this hour. It’s just convenience, is all.

But seeing Leon in his apartment, having him there, cohabiting the space, feeling his presence… it is nice and not as lonely as usual. And it feels… right. It feels normal.

Of course, Raihan’s not above the implications of having Leon over his apartment. He’s painfully aware of it, but he does his best to act natural and cordial, taking his coat, offering Leon a glass of water, cleaning up the couch for him to sleep on. It’s all fine, it’s cool, he thinks, and he’s in his bedroom, shirt mid-way off his head, when he feels Leon’s strong but gentle hands on his shoulders, his back, his waist, and then a soft kiss on his shoulder blade.

It occurs to Raihan, “We haven’t battled yet.”

Leon hums against his skin. “Let’s just… do what feels natural.”

Sort of cheeky, but sort of… just acknowledging that they’ve done this a couple times now. Maybe now they don’t need an excuse to do it anymore. Maybe they can just do what feels right.

It feels different this time, with no stakes involved, but some things are the same. Raihan’s still thriving in the attention of the Champion—former Champion. And that is a thing that’s different, too, and something that could be on Leon’s mind as he’s kissing down Raihan’s chest, licking the inside of his hips. But he’s still there, eyes glazed over and trained on Raihan’s naked body as his fingers are wriggling inside him, and Raihan still loves that concentrated expression on his lover’s face.

“What’re you looking at, champ?” Raihan teases, sticking his tongue out to the side. “Like what you see?”

And that’s enough for Leon’s eyes to darken, all other thoughts to be wiped away. It’s most likely the word “champ” that makes Leon move swiftly, aligning his hips between Raihan’s legs, breathing out a, “Yeah, and I’ll take what I like,” before going in. It’s different, it’s the first time they haven’t been rushed, it’s the first time they’re able to slow down and enjoy it, but still Leon’s going hard, Raihan’s telling him to go harder, he can take it, and Leon’s saying, “Who’s your champion?” almost a demand, almost a beg, and Raihan musters up all the concentration he can to stutter out, “C-c’mon on, babe, you know it’s you,” before lets go and gives in.

In the end, Leon doesn’t take the couch, but they both knew that wouldn’t happen, anyway.

\--

In the morning, Raihan wakes to the sound of the shower running. It’s been a while since he’s had someone else in the apartment, and it’s sort of nice to not be alone when he wakes up.

The sun hasn’t risen yet, and there’s still a bright color in the sky, but Raihan gets up and goes to the kitchen to get some cereal. It isn’t much later when Leon comes out, damp towel around his waist, hair dripping with water.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Leon mumbles, throat caked with sleep.

“Didn’t wake me,” Raihan replies, mouth full of cereal. “‘m used to gettin’ up early, Gym Leader stuff ‘n all.”

“Yeah, I know how it is,” Leon says before he pauses. Another reminder that he’s not Champion anymore. Does he still need to get up early?

“What d’you do up this early, usually?” Raihan says, partly curious, partly trying to distract his friend.

Leon clears his throat. “Er, train, usually.”

“By yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“Wanna train together?”

Leon’s eyes widen. Train together. It’s clear that neither of them have had much time for training with others, or doing much anything with others, really. Champion duty and Gym Leader duty have kept them both busy. The offer is a nice, cozy feeling, the same way it felt coming home with him, the same way it felt waking up with him.

Then, Leon’s mouth quirks up a bit. “Train together? What’d you have in mind?”

Raihan tries his best to fight back a grin but doesn’t really succeed. “Eh, you know, the best way to train is to have a battle, yeah?”

“Yeah? It just has to be a battle, does it?” 

“Hey, I didn’t make the rules.”

“Hammerlocke Gym open at this hour?”

“I can make it open at this hour.”

“Then what’re we still sitting around here for?”

“Well, I didn’t know if you were ready.”

“I’m always ready for a battle.”

Raihan laughs and nods over to the door.

—

“So, how far is the gym?” Leon asks, tying his shoes after they’ve stepped out of the apartment.

“Eh, 10 minutes, give or take,” Raihan answers.

“Great, let’s go.”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down there, mate,” Raihan says when Leon starts walking. “My town, my rules.”

“What are you on about?”

Raihan tosses all of his Pokéballs in the air, popping out all seven of his Pokémon. Torkoal yawns, Goodra wipes its eyes from sleep, and Turtonator lets out a pumped-up roar.

“You train with me, you train my way,” Raihan says, stretching out his legs like an athlete. “Fancy a warm up race to the stadium?”

Leon smirks and takes out his Pokéballs. “All right.”

Of course, it’s no contest for Raihan’s team. Raihan has a Torkoal and a Gigalith, after all—and Leon has that goddamn Dragapult. But between just him and Leon, it’s a different story. Raihan has a foot on Leon, and even if Leon can bench press him, Raihan has longer legs, and he’s been running to his gym for his whole life now. There’s a rush through him, between his fingers and his legs, as he’s running to the gym, knowing that Leon’s behind him, knowing that he’s actually beating him in something. It feels like a first, it feels like something he’s always wanted and is finally attaining, even if it’s not a battle, even if it’s just a race. 

When they finally reach the gates of Hammerlocke stadium, Raihan lets out a roar of triumph, and his Pokemon that have reached the gates quickly join him. The sun’s barely peeked over the horizon, and he and his Pokemon are howling at the sky, not caring about the startled shopkeepers opening their shops or the early cyclists who could have fallen off their bikes from surprise.

Leon catches up soon afterward, huffing and puffing, and fresh with excuses.

“That—that wasn’t fair,” Leon huffs, holding onto his knees. “You know this route better than I do.”

“Terrain has always been on my side, blood, don’t act like this is news to you.”

“I’m just saying—it wasn’t a fair match.”

“Hey, a loss is a loss is a loss, my friend.”

“It’s just a race, it’s not a battle!”

“Oh, you ready to get wiped again?”

“I’m not getting wiped.”

“Bet?”

“I’m not gettin’ _wiped!”_

They bicker for as long as it takes for little Torkoal to get to the stadium, and when it does, everyone cheers for it as they usually do before they head in.

The energy from the race is infectious, and it carries throughout Raihan’s body, tingling from his fingertips. His Pokemon feel it, too, and they’re pumped up, fighting as hard as they can, dodging and slipping through attacks, striking critical hits in clutch moments, and Raihan’s all energy again, yelling, moving, pumping his fists in the air. It’s the first time in a while they’ve had a proper fight, six on six, Dynamax moves a go, and something about the energy, his home stadium, and the stars align when Duraludon lets out its G-Max Depletion and decimates Leon’s Charizard.

Raihan lets out another triumphant yell and sinks to the floor as Duraludon shrinks to its normal size. He could cry, not out of happiness, but of relief. Relief that his quest is over, relief that he’s found an answer to this question he’s had for seven years, relief that, yes, he is good enough. He feels exhausted: a good, refreshing exhaustion, like after a workout. His Duraludon, as tired as it is, bumbles over to give Raihan a hug, and Raihan smiles at it, so proud of his Pokemon, so proud of his team, so proud of himself.

After he returns his Duraludon to it’s Pokéball, Raihan looks over at the other side of the stadium and sees Leon, face hidden underneath his cap, and Charizard with its claw on his shoulder, comforting him.

And it hits Raihan that he’s been incredibly selfish. The timing of this was terrible. Right after Leon lost his title, right when Leon’s at his most vulnerable, Raihan’s beaten him, after years of losing to him. Raihan swallows down his pride and walks over to Leon.

“H-hey,” Raihan says hesitantly.

“I don’t need your pity,” Leon murmurs, a frog in his throat.

It’s the same words Raihan threw at him months or so ago when this all began. He half regrets saying that to him, but he half understands where Leon is right now.

Then Leon sniffs and grins up at him, putting his cap back on his head. His eyes are fresh with tears, but he croaks out, “Besides, does this count, anyway? Now that I’m not Champion, anymore.”

A whirlwind of thoughts hits Raihan. Seeing Leon like this, smiling, laughing, still so vulnerable, but still so charming… it’s enough to make Raihan’s heart twist with emotions. At the same time, it is true: he’s only been able to finally take down his long-time rival when Leon’s in this emotional state, and only after he’s lost his title. Does this count? Is this fair? Has his question been answered?

So many thoughts are swirling in Raihan’s head and making his chest pound, but he settles for barking out a laugh and just saying, “Fuck.”

They take a bit to just laugh lightly, a little awkward, but a little refreshing, like the calm after a storm. Finally, Leon takes a deep breath, says, “Well,” and then steps up close to Raihan, placing a hand on his partner’s chest. Leon’s never looked smaller than he does now—he looks nervous, hesitant, unsure. It feels off, and it doesn’t feel right to do this right now.

“Hey,” Raihan says, putting a hand over Leon’s on his chest. Leon looks up at him, his eyes brimming with a vulnerability that Raihan’s never seen before. Raihan gives him a reassuring smile and tilts his head. “Let’s get breakfast.”

“O-oh, okay,” Leon stammers.

He drops his gaze and his grip on Raihan’s shirt loosens. He looks rejected, and that’s not what Raihan meant to do at all. So instead of immediately leaving the stadium, he raises a hand and softly brushes some of Leon’s hair away from his face and gently touches the side of his face—not quite a caress, just a touch. It’s enough for a light blush to grace Leon’s cheeks, and it’s enough for a little hope to return to his eyes. With a warm feeling in his chest, Raihan leads the way out of the stadium.

It doesn’t end up just being breakfast— they spend the whole day together. Leon realizes he needs a new signature look now that he doesn’t have his Champion uniform, so they go shopping. Raihan critiques and teases him the more posh the outfits are, and Leon finally settles for one that Raihan admits, much to his chagrin, looks good, even if it is still a bit posh.

He brings Leon to the best curry place in Hammerlocke, a place that cranks up the heat but lets you still enjoy the taste through your burning tastebuds. It turns into a competition, of course, but Raihan wins, since he’s had this curry all his life. It’s not as crushing of a defeat as earlier in the day, as they’re both laughing through tears and gulping down glasses of milk.

Leon tells Raihan of his wish to still want to fight strong trainers, and the conversation ends up turning into a workshop that becomes the Battle Tower, recycling Rose Tower to realize Leon’s dream. And honestly, what better way to reuse that massive eyesore of a building than to make it into the ex-Champion’s dream, having his legacy live on.

They scope out the venue and discuss with some execs and project planners. They each call in some connections they think would be interested in participating for their debut (Gloria included, of course).

When they finally leave Rose Tower, the sky is tinted with a warm red and orange. Raihan looks over at Leon, and it fills his heart with warmth to see his friend look so proud, so happy, so calm, compared to how lost and despondent he was yesterday.

Leon takes a deep breath of fresh air and then says, “Well, what do you want for supper?”

“Hey, you’re the one who’s traveled all over the region and tasted all the food,” Raihan counters. He smirks lightly and gives Leon a nudge. “Take me out to the best restaurant in Galar.”

There’s a light smile on Leon’s lips as he thinks for a bit, and Raihan can’t stop thinking about how he wants Leon to smile more, all the time. 

Finally Leon calls a Flying Taxi, whispers something to the Corviknight, and they all head off. There’s a question of why he decided to do that instead of taking out Charizard, but as Raihan sees the trees and roads start to top with snow, he’s thankful for the warm, heated interior of the Flying Taxi carriage.

They land at the Pokémon Center at Circhester, and then Leon leads the way to the restaurant—surprising, since he’s known for getting lost but he seems to know exactly where he’s going. He must go here often, or it must be very special to him for that to happen. The walk there is short but cold, and Raihan may or may not use it as an excuse to walk a little closer beside Leon.

It’s a humble shop, packed between two old apartment complexes. Not too many seats and not too many customers. A spicy and savory smell is in the air.

“Ramen?” Raihan deduces.

“Mmhmm,” Leon hums smiling.

Behind the counter, the owner looks up at the two and offers a knowing smile, pointing at an empty space at the bar. Leon orders in a familiar manner, and Raihan echoes his order, trusting Leon’s taste and judgment.

The two slurp hot noodles and warm broth next to each other quietly, with the gentle sounds of the kitchen and passersby outside. The contrast between the hot bowl of noodle soup and the occasional cold breeze that slips in through the door feels refreshing and a bit cozy, like drinking hot cocoa on a cold night. It’s incredibly homey and comfortable, something that Raihan hasn’t felt in a long time due to his stubbornness of not visiting home. The relaxed silence of the restaurant suits Leon and his farmland and close family background, and Raihan feels like it’s a bit of his heart opened up, a bit of a look inside the mind of the ex-Champion.

“It was good?” Leon asks as they place their empty bowls up on the upper counter of the bar.

“Yeah, it was good,” Raihan praises.

“Good, good. Well, what now?”

“Hmm,” Raihan thinks aloud, glancing at the door. “The hotel in Circhester’s nice.”

“Can we… go back to your place?”

Raihan blinks and his eyebrows raise. It’s a gentle nudge, and it’s a little nice, that Leon already feels a bit familiar with his home.

“Of course we can.”

—

Everything feels a bit more familiar when they get back to his place. Leon places his hat and shoes where he did last night, and Raihan doesn’t offer him water as cordially as he did the other night.

They move to the bedroom, which is also familiar, but Leon’s demeanor isn’t. He makes smaller movements, avoids eye contact, and can’t stop touching his hair.

“Come here,” Raihan offers gently.

The kiss is unlike one they’ve ever had before—slow and soft. Slowly, ever so slowly, Leon starts to let down his guard, starts to match Raihan’s tempo, starts to give in to the kiss and the feeling that Raihan knows they’re both feeling. Raihan’s hand strokes circles on the small of Leon’s back over his shirt before testing, just testing, and touching just underneath, just a small brush against bare skin. Leon arches his into the touch, and his own hands come up to bunch Raihan’s shirt in his fist, and it all tumbles from there.

On the bed, Raihan gently shushes Leon’s whimpers as he slowly starts to push into him. Leon’s cheeks are flushed, and he looks nervous and a little scared, but still trusting, and they never break eye contact, even when Raihan’s going harder and faster, and their breaths are getting louder, until everything ends with a final shuddering gasp from both of them.

It’s nothing like how Raihan imagined it would be. He’s been wishing for this for a long time, to finally beat Leon and finally be the one to do it, but he never would have guessed it would be like this.

They stay like that for a few beats, gathering their breaths, before Raihan sighs and starts to move—but Leon’s hand on his shoulder squeezes suddenly, tightly.

“Don’t,” Leon whispers. “Don’t go.”

Raihan meets Leon’s gaze. He sees everything in his eyes—hesitancy, desperation, loneliness, trust.

He seems himself.

He sees them together.

With a gentle smile, Raihan knocks his forehead against his partner’s.

“I’m not going anywhere, love.”

—

It’s a normal weekday evening in Hammerlocke. The sky is a bit gray from a fresh rainstorm, and there’s a steady chugging of a train somewhere in the distance.

Raihan’s sitting at the kitchen table working on his laptop, a fresh cup of tea at his fingertips, when he hears footsteps and shuffling outside of his door. Not a minute later, and Leon walks in.

“God help me if I have to sign one more damn paper,” Leon grumbles.

“Hello to you, too,” Raihan says, a bit dryly, but smiling all the same. “I take it everything’s set?”

“Nearly, but it’s all out of my hands now. Just some PR bits, and the Battle Tower’s ready to go.” Leon nods at Raihan. “What have you been up to?”

“Oh, nothin’. Answering emails, is all.”

“Hmm,” Leon hums. He takes a second to look at Raihan, comfortable in his lounge clothes, and says, “Maybe I should have been a Gym Leader instead.”

“Yeah?” Raihan laughs. “And which type would you be?”

Leon thinks for a bit before biting his lip to stop himself from grinning. “Well, with Dragapult and Haxorus, it has to be Dragon-type, doesn’t it?”

“Oh yeah? And what about poor Charizard, eh?”

“They say he can be Dragon-type if you have a Mega Stone from the Kalos region.”

“Then go off to the Kalos region, then. You couldn’t even make it there—you’d be lost on the way.”

“Are you trying to shoo me off to the Kalos region? Threatened by the thought of me taking over your precious gym?”

“You wanna go? You think you can beat a Gym Leader, you washed up trainer turned CEO?”

“Okay, that one was mean,” Leon says, but he still laughs, making his way to the bedroom.

After taking a few minutes to finish up what he was working on, Raihan follows him into the bedroom. As expected, Leon’s changing into something more comfortable, something more normal than whatever this is that he’s decided on as his post-Champion outfit. 

He’s just pulled a t-shirt over his head when Raihan’s arms circle his waist from behind. 

“You know,” Raihan murmurs against Leon’s temple, “You’ve been working so hard lately. With everything being finalized and all, now’s a good time to relax.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmhmm,” Raihan hums, kissing Leon’s temple, his cheek, his neck. Leon turns in his arms and kisses back, reaching up to touch the back of Raihan’s neck. With one arm extended, he’s unbalanced, and he falls a bit backward to sit on the bed, and Raihan hitches up a knee against the mattress.

“As much as—I’m enjoying this,” Leon mumbles between kisses, “It’s not very relaxing.”

Raihan laughs lightly against Leon’s lips. “You’re right.” He moves back a bit and allows Leon to shuffle to a more comfortable position, just sitting at the edge of the bed. He reaches out to hold Leon’s hand and says, “How about this: we order some food and watch a movie until we fall asleep?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Leon says, watching Raihan bring his hand to his lips. 

Raihan places a kiss on Leon’s wrist, the back of his hand, his knuckles, before he says, quietly, barely a whisper, “And then maybe… we can wake up tomorrow and do the same thing again.”

“Do what?”

“This. Everything. We could do this every day.” Raihan places Leon’s hand against his cheek. “You don’t ever have to go back to that empty flat of yours. This could be your home.”

Leon’s lips part slightly as he realizes what Raihan’s saying. It is admittedly a lot to take in—they’d only been doing this for a few weeks now, so moving in is a bit of a jump.

Eventually, Leon chuckles a bit. “You really hate my flat, don’t you?”

“I might.”

“Then there’s no way about it, is there?”

“Not one I can see.”

Leon smiles, slow and small at first until it stretches from ear to ear. “All right, but you’re helping me pack.”

“Fine, fine,” Raihan says dryly in protest, even if he’s grinning back.

He kisses Leon again, on the lips, and their hands intertwine.

When Raihan started all of this, he didn’t think it’d end up like this. But he wouldn’t change anything for the world.


End file.
